The Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) landscape in Spain will undergo a momentous change as of February 14, 2024. On this day, exclusive high definition (HD) transmission will mark the end of standard quality (SD) channels, as established by Royal Decree 391/2019 of June 21.
This change not only implies a shift in the television experience, but also has technological and bandwidth implications.
The aforementioned decree, which initially projected the change for January 1, 2023, seeks to save bandwidth and favor the transmission of 4K quality content. In addition, its contribution to the promotion of services associated with fifth generation (5G) mobile telephony in Europe is highlighted.
This change not only represents an evolution in image quality, but also lays the foundation for future technologies and services.
Set-top box or new TV set: get ready for High Definition
The government claims that 98% of current devices are compatible with HD services, and only approximately 2% of current TV sets will be affected by this measure. However, regardless of the percentage, it is crucial to take measures to guarantee the continuity of the television service.
For those whose current TV sets do not support high definition, there are two main options: the purchase of a set-top box or the purchase of a new TV set compatible with HD technologies.
It should be taken into account that in addition to having a suitable TV set or decoder, it will be necessary to have an antenna and make technical adjustments to ensure correct signal reception.
Channel retuning is a necessary step
Regardless of the option chosen, whether it is a set-top box or a new TV set, it will be essential to carry out the process of retuning the channel list.
This will ensure that only HD quality channels are retained, as standard channels will become unusable and take up unnecessary space in the repertoire. Retuning is a key step to take full advantage of the new configuration and avoid confusion.
The deadlines for the implementation of these changes vary by communication group. For example, RTVE channels will stop broadcasting the standard version during the early hours of February 5 to 6, at which time they will start broadcasting in Ultra High Definition (UHD).
Mediaset will make the changes on February 14, and channels such as Boing, Divinity, Energy and FDF, which until now only broadcast in SD, will begin to do so in HD.
In the case of Atresmedia, Neox, Nova and Mega will join high definition on February 14. On the other hand, FORTA’s regional broadcasters have been implementing the changes progressively, with some channels already transmitting in HD and others that will join later.
